Max Woosey: Camping challenge boy sleeps out for 500th night

An 11-year-old boy has spent his 500th night camping outside.

Max Woosey started sleeping in his garden in Devon on 28 March 2020 after being inspired by a family friend who died of cancer and left Max his tent.

Since then, he has raised more than £640,000 for the North Devon Hospice, which cared for his neighbour.

He said it was an "amazing" experience in the shelter he helped build, and he was already planning to be sleeping in something similar again.

The 11-year-old, from Braunton, has camped out at a variety of locations, ranging from his back garden to London Zoo and 10 Downing Street.

To mark the latest milestone, Max built a woodland shelter with his parents and best friends as he wanted to do something "a bit more crazy and a bit more fun" for his 500th night.

He said: "It was amazing and such good fun - definitely an experience I'll always remember".

He also said that the support he had received had been "lovely and just remarkable".

Max's mum, Rachael Woosey, said Tuesday's events before the night out included a masterclass on how to build a den and "tea cooked over the fire" as part of an "amazing night" which showcased Max's "remarkable" efforts.

After he finished, she said she was "definitely proud" of what he had done.

She added that, even if he was just returning to the family's back garden to sleep there, it would be "a bit tame compared to last night".

Max said he still was not planning sleeping indoors despite more than a year spent outside.

He said: "I don't think that's going to be done."

Max first began his adventure when he heard hospice fundraising events were getting cancelled due to Covid-19.

His was inspired by neighbour Rick Abbott, who gave him a tent to "have an adventure in", before spending his final days at North Devon Hospice.

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